(Closed) Nurses, what kind of band do you wear?

I’m a nursing student, and at this point I can’t wear my engagement ring at clinical practice or labs because the stone sits very high and could hurt someone. I’m totally okay with that, but since I’m getting married soon, I want to at least get a band I can wear while I’m there.

My current ring is an odd one, and so getting a band to fit it would be expensive or impossible. I’m not really too concerned about that.

Technically my hospital has no issues with my engagement ring, some of the nurses have serious rocks but personally I wear a plain white gold band. No risk of scratches, or getting any gunk in anywhere. Even an engraved flat band has nooks and crannies for grossness and unless you don’t plan on wearing it home I would go plain. Wear your big sparkle on your days off.

@Peacockfeather: I’ve ordered a plain 1mm stainless steel band to wear on days I’ll be in direct patient care. Even though I could wear my “real” plain yellow gold wedding band without my engagement ring, I specifically wanted something that was durable and plain and of no consequence should the worst happen to it. It is a $15.00 band 😉

@Sweetjennygirl: Hey, I can’t blame you at all. I was looking at SS or gold fill rings too. At least then if something horrendous gets on it you can just toss it. Sometimes no amount of rubbing alcohol can ease your mind 😛

@Peacockfeather: I have a plain white gold band. But I would recommend the stainless steel, silver option so you could dispose of it should it get icky.

Another option is tungsten but those are slighly more expensive.

I’m not a nursing student but when I was employed I worked in labs a lot. At the last place I would wear my e-ring (a solitaire which sits sort of high) and it wasnt that big a deal but if I were to go back to a more hands on lab or a chemical one I would get a non reactive metal to wear to work and leave my real set at home.

@Mrs Christopher: Problem with silver is that it oxidizes like mad in the presence of sulphur dioxide, which is what they use to coat the insides of gloves (or at least part of the composition) plus it’s very soft so I have a feeling it’d be bent right out of shape in a week by the rate I abuse my poor e-ring XD

I’d love to get a sterling because they’re soft so you can customize them a lot more at a cheaper rate, but I don’t want to wreck it either. Decisions, decisions…

I’ve always worn my rings, even when I was a nursing student…and my clinical instructors were strict on infection control (short nails, etc.). The gloves cover it just fine, and I’ve never scratched anyone. 🙂

My e-ring is too large to screw with when trying to put gloves on and off (sometimes quickly) so I don’t wear it to work. My actual wedding band is a half eternity..I don’t know if ill want to wear that either or just get a plain rose gold band to wear. Lots of the older nurses I work with wear nothing at all and have no problem with it so it must be a generation thing that we feel like we need to have a ring on at all times.

@Peacockfeather: I’m not a nurse, but both of my sisters are. One of them wears her wedding band on a necklace while at work (NICU), and the other wears a plain white gold band to work (not sure of her department), she wears her real set whenever she’s not a work though!